Waxwing

Waxwing
"To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour."

From "Auguries of Innocence"

by William Blake

Thursday 27 May 2010

Surveys, Millers, Muslins and Pugs

Suddenly realising the deadline of 31st May was rapidly approaching, I decided to do my Early Summer Timed Tetrad Visit for the BTO Atlas this morning. The Warwickshire tetrad I am surveying this season comprises mainly farmland, with quite a substantial amount of woodland (mainly deciduous)and a small village. There are no real stretches of water just a few brooks and small pools. I managed to see 18 species (a poorer total than I had hoped for) with nothing particularly unusual - where were those crossbills that I had seen reported in this area a few months ago on a Warwickshire birding forum? Highlights included a calling cuckoo, a drumming great spotted woodpecker and a male yellowhammer singing a little bit of bread and no cheese. Part of the walk took me through a very pretty wood; the bluebells had faded but there were plenty of ramsons, yellow archangel and cow parsley in flower. Also saw several orange tips and small whites during the walk. Sorry no photos - decided to leave the camera at home!

A bit belatedly here is the Catch Report from Sunday 23rd May for my Actinic 15w Skinner Trap - Minimum temperature 11.9 degrees centigrade

Miller 1
Green Carpet 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart 5
Heart and Dart 2
Lime Speck Pug 1
Muslin Moth 1
Mottled Pug 1

The Miller, pugs and muslin moth are all new garden ticks.


Pugs are incredibly difficult to identify as so many look the same but I think this is a mottled pug?



Here is one of the few pugs that is relatively easy - a Lime-speck Pug



I think this is a really cute moth - a male Muslin (the female is white)



And finally, this is a Miller

No comments: